Flexible Calendar Program (Flex)

Independent projects can be any professional learning actitivy that meets at least one of the approved allowable activities (Title V Activity 55724) and is an activity that demonstrably improves instruction, staff development (such as improving cultural humility or workplace skills), or student success. Project descriptions should include:

• A brief description of the activity
• How the activity aligns with one of the flex categories
• Describes the instructional improvement, staff development, or student success component of the activity

You may submit an independent project for flex credit through the District Flex website. The Professional Learning Coordinator, Marco Anzures ([email protected]), reviews submissions on a weekly basis.   

Deadline

Each semester, final requests for project approval are due by Monday of Week 14. 

CVC@ONE Courses

The Online Network of Educators is supported by the California Community College Chancellor's Office and offers free or affordable online learning opportunities for faculty and staff. Some courses may also earn credit towards salary advancement. These activities are perfect for independent project proposals. 

➡️ Take me to the CVC@ONE class registry

	Fall 2026	Spring 2027
Independent Project Proposal	Deadline to Submit December 7 Deadline to Mark Complete December 14	Deadline to Submit May 17 Deadline to Mark Complete May 24
Complete Flex Obligation	December 14 (part-time faculty only)	May 24 (all faculty)

Flex activities that align with the following broad categories are eligible for flex credit (Title V, Article 2, Section 55724):

1. Evaluation of course instruction
2. Staff development, in-service training, and service improvement
3. Curriculum and learning resource development, evaluation, and redesign to better meet the needs of students and improve student outcomes
4. Student engagement and learning resource services
5. Engagement in governance activities focused on student success
6. Related activities, such as evaluation and improvement of college and/or district services t ostudents and communities served
7. Departmental, divisional, or institutional meetings, conferences and workshops, and institutional research
8. Other duties as assigned by the college/district
9. Necessary supporting activities for the above

The following list of development and instructional improvement activities are intended as a guide and not intended to be limited to these activities. It should be noted that some activities can address more than one category. Activities should accommodate and engage diverse bodies, advance equitable student outcomes, and promote the inclusion of all individuals.

Employee Improvement

• Developing, enhancing or growing new programs and new courses (e.g., a workshop on designing curriculum/ programs
• Full-time faculty, part-time faculty, classified staff, student employees, and administrators’ meetings to address areas of concern (e.g., academic advising, prerequisites, referring students for services
• Full-time faculty, part-time faculty, classified staff, student employees, and administrators’ (e.g., tutors, lab assistants) meetings to improve learning resource support services for students
• Workshops on how to mentor students or how to mentor faculty
• Orientation/education (e.g., new faculty; role of the academic senates; training students, staff, and faculty to serve on committees; changing role of technology in education)
• Student, faculty, and staff diversity (e.g., sexual harassment workshops, affirmative action conferences, cultural diversity seminars, multicultural activities)
• Meetings designed to improve a cohesive working relationship among members of the group (e.g., departments, divisions, committees, mixture of college constituencies)
• Workshops on how to write grants • Workshops or individually designed activities to improve or enhance a person’s skills or knowledge in his/her own discipline
• Wellness activities that assist individuals to be physically and mentally better able to perform their jobs (e.g., humor in the workplace, stress reduction, self-defense, nutrition, exercise, weight reduction)
• Learning a second language to better communicate with the diverse student population
• Disaster preparedness (e.g., district procedures, first aid, review of facilities to determine areas of need)
• Improving or learning how to deal with computers and technology (e.g., Artificial Intelligence “AI”)

Student Improvement

• Developing a new program to meet changing student needs
• Full-time faculty, part-time faculty, classified staff, student employees, and administrators (e.g., tutors, lab assistants) meetings to improve services for students
• Review of learning resource materials to eliminate outdated items and make recommendations for additions
• Creating self-study modules and/or computer-assisted instruction
• Student advising (e.g., academic advising of students by part-time and full-time faculty)
• Mentoring of students • Full-time and part-time faculty participation in student orientation programs
• Matriculation services (e.g., special orientation for ESL students, workshops in specific disciplines for students with undecided majors)
• Meetings (department/division/college-wide) specifically to discuss strategies for improving service to students
• Institutional research focused on meeting the needs of the students (e.g., job market surveys, transfer ratios, ethnicity data on students, gender equity, campus climate)
• Writing grants aimed to improve services to students
• Articulation to improve transfer processes
• Outreach for special projects (e.g., Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement [MESA] program)
• Conducting special workshops for students (e.g., understanding the college schedule, transfer requirements, setting academic goals)

Instructional Improvement

• Attending workshops on teaching methods or techniques (e.g., classroom-based research training; Instructional Skills Workshops (ISW); local, regional, national Great Teachers Seminars)
• Development or revision of programs, course curriculum, learning resources and evaluation. • Developing a new course
• Modifying an existing course to comply with changing institutional or discipline requirements (e.g., changing theories in a discipline, articulation with transfer institutions, critical thinking, multiculturalism, writing across the curriculum)
• Significant modification of a course to address the learning needs of diverse students (e.g., creating self-paced learning modules)
• Developing student readiness programs specific to course disciplines
• Faculty and counselor meetings to address areas of curriculum
• Review of learning resource materials to eliminate outdated items and recommend additions
• Creating self-study modules and computer-assisted instruction modules
• Student, faculty, and staff diversity (e.g., sexual harassment workshops, affirmative action conferences, cultural diversity seminars, multicultural activities)
• Departmental or division meetings to discuss overall curriculum and program review
• Institutional research (e.g., job skill requirements, research on transfer ratios, ethnicity data on students and staff. gender equity, campus climate)
• Grant writing to secure funds for improvement of instruction

The Week of Professional Learning (WOPL) is a conference-style week of learning opportunities to meet the unique needs of the campus community. WOPL is part of City’s commitment to the Flexible Calendar Program (Flex) to meet state requirements for offering faculty and staff a flexible range of instructional, development, and student success improvement activities. 

Convocation anchors each WOPL and is an excellent chance to hear updates from the leadership team and learn what is coming up at City and beyond. Most sessions are hosted in the Elva Salinas Professional Learning Center (PLC). The PLC is located on the first floor of the R-Building (Library). The entrance is on the Park Blvd (West) side of the building and accessible from Lot 8.

• Faculty flex handbook
• VIDEO: Completing a Flex Activity Request
• VIDEO: Completing an Independent Project

• How do I find my flex contract and register for activities? To view your Flex contract, register for workshops, submit an Independent Project, and find more information about Flex, please visit the District's Instructional Improvement (Flex) website. You can also login via your mySDCCD portal using the right hand navigation. 
• I can't remember my password for the Flex system, how can I get back in? Please contact our District representative, Eli Jed Manalastas, Administrative Technician, at [email protected]. Include your CSID and a brief description of your issue in the body of the email. 
• How many hours do I need to complete for flex? Contract faculty are required to complete 20-hours of flex per academic year. Flex hours are also assigned for overload assignments. Part-time faculty are required to complete flex hours based on the percentage of FTEF they are teaching (roughly translating to the number of hours taught during the week). 
• If I am on sabbatical or medical leave do I need to complete my flex obligation? Flex is assigned based on your teaching load (FTEF). If your teaching load is reduced because of sabbatical or leave then you will only be assigned flex for your classroom teaching assignment. 
• Can I get credit for an event I attended in the past?

  Contract Faculty

  Yes, if the event or workshop you attended was in the same academic year in which you need to claim flex credit.

  Part-Time Faculty

  Yes, if the event or workshop you attended was in the same semester that you are teaching you can receive credit. 

• What are the deadlines to complete my flex obligation? Contract faculty must complete their flex obligation by the end of the academic year. Part-time faculty must complete their obligation before the end of each semester.